Chapter 25
Oscar
“What’s your favorite part of game day?” I ask the little kid waiting patiently for me to sign his hat.
There are a lot of kids who come to games for various reasons: their parents got tickets, they are excited to see us because they follow us on social media, or maybe they are excited to see the show.
My favorite fans to meet are the ones that come because they love the game. The grit, the skill, the statistics.
“Where do you play?” I ask handing him his hat.
His smile is so big. “How did you know I play?”
“Because your glove looks worn in, loved.” I smile back, handing him a small Orbit button.
Each game a few players come out for the meet and greet, and because I don’t have anything to rehearse for this game, I’m on rotation.
One of the best parts of the meet and greet is this tiny pin.
We each select one fan to join us on the field to warm up and for a game right before the pitch at the top of the 4th inning, and the cast uses this pin to verify the fan pick.
“What is this?” his eyes go all wide again.
“Well, you’re my favorite fan today. So, right after you find your seat, go to the cast member in your section and show them this pin. They will bring you down to the field to warm up with me and the other players. Then you can come back down for a game at the end of the 3rd inning.”
“No way. That’s awesome. Thanks!” He turns and runs in the direction of his parents at the back of the crowd, and they both smile in my direction.
I smile and wave, but the smile quickly fades when I see Rafael walking in the gates behind them.
I look over at Kody, one of our new recruits this season, “What is he doing here?”
“You know as much as I do,” he answers flatly as he continues signing the ball in his hand.
I watch Rafael walk up to the cast members by the VIP line not too far from me, and can hear just enough of what he says to know he’s here to see Horner.
There are a few things I am certain of, and the fact that Horner would not hire him back is one of them. This is a family gig, and that scene was a PR nightmare. So what the fuck is he doing here?
The thought of him in the facility eats away at my insides, bit by bit, until there is absolutely no way I can stand here another second. Thankfully, my first rotation is over, and I have a 45 minute break before I have to be back out here.
Not thinking, I work my way through the VIP crowd to the business floor where Horner’s office is, and bust through the door.
Horner is sitting at his desk watching a video on his phone, and when I scan the large space that overlooks the field, I come up empty.
“Why the fuck is he here?” I sneer, not really considering that I’m talking to my boss.
“Not that I owe you an explanation, but we leave for Savannah in a few days, and I need to take his name off the ticket, so he had to come sign a verification form for the airline.” He just stares at me, and the lack of expression on his face makes me uncomfortable.
He’s usually warm and happy. “I asked Maren to join us.”
This surprises me. Tatum never traveled with us.
I don’t say anything, but he must read my confusion.
“It’s too late to cancel the ticket, and I thought it might be nice for her to see how other teams work their choreography schedule.
She’s never done this before, so it wouldn’t hurt for her to get some ideas.
Plus, I told her she’d travel with the team when I signed her contract.
We’d already booked this trip before… you know.
So, she wasn’t scheduled to come on this trip, but now it works out.
” I can tell he’s uncomfortable by the way he’s tripping over his words.
“She’d love that.” I say, trying to ease the tension.
“Yeah, she was excited.” His look stays neutral, softer, but still too hard to read. “This is a work trip.”
His words are stern, but I’m missing the message laying beneath them.
When I don’t respond, he fills the void of silence. “There will be no personal encounters in public.”
Again, I just stare at him.
“Fuck, Ozzie, you are not this dense. I know you are seeing her. Everyone can tell, and I will not have another scandal on my hands, so keep it in your pants until we get home.”
“Hor—”
He interrupts me. “It’s painfully obvious some days that all you want to do is pummel her. NOT. ON. MY. WATCH,” he emphasizes.
“I’ll keep it off the field,” I assure him.
“Off the field, out of the hallways, locker rooms, hallways, closets, studios—” That one makes him wince, “Sorry,”
His tone is still flat, but his eyes give him away, he really doesn’t give a shit what we do, as long as it stays off screen.
“She’s a good girl,” I tell him.
“He already left.” He changes the subject and it takes me a second to realize he’s talking about Rafael. “He thought I was inviting him back, and got pissed when all I wanted him to do was sign a paper.”
In other words, You are free to go about the park without seeing him.
“Oh, and you and Jax are rooming with Kody. I already told him you assholes will probably make him sleep on the pullout sofa.” This is the first fucking smile he’s offered me during the entire conversation, and I don’t miss the sarcasm behind it.
“Maren needed her own room and Jax was supposed to room with Rafael.”
As if he reads my mind, “Her room is next to mine.”
Man, this fucker is operating on subtitles today.
Don’t fuck her where I can hear you.
Too bad for him. I’ve never been good at reading between the lines.